US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Saturday night called for the investigation, arrest, and prosecution "to the fullest extent of the law" of the participants in the attack on photojournalist Heidi Levine.
"Attacking a female photographer is [a] despicable act of terror carried out by masked cowards. Dishonorable act of senseless violence," said Huckabee.
The Israel-based Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine was wounded during a Friday altercation between extremist settlers and Palestinians in the West Bank.
Footage seen by The Jerusalem Post appears to show Levine kneeling on a path in a press jacket and helmet, as colleagues run over to carry her to safety.
Police launched an investigation into the incident after receiving an IDF report of the West Bank clashes, according to an Israel Police spokesperson.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog also condemned the “shocking violence” and said he had called Levine to apologize. “I expressed my deepest sorrow to Heidi and apologized for what she went through. The despicable behavior of the perpetrators of this attack does not represent the citizens or the values of the State of Israel.”
Rubio: US wants Israel to 'crack down' on settler violence in West Bank
The United States wants Israel to do more to deter attacks committed by settlers in the West Bank, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday.
"We're very disturbed by those images and what we're seeing," Rubio said. "We've asked the Israelis and continue to ask them to crack down on that stuff."
His comments to reporters came after the widespread dissemination of video showing multiple individuals attacking Heidi Levine, an American photojournalist with the Washington Post. Levine was one of at least two people injured in the Friday incident, which took place as Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian civilians.
European diplomats and a French mayor were also attacked in the occupied West Bank, Belgium's foreign minister said.
The US State Department, Rubio said, has inquired about the event that included Levine's attack. Rubio, who spoke to reporters before boarding a flight to Uzbekistan, said he expects to hear back from the US Embassy in Jerusalem by Sunday.
Israeli settlers in the West Bank have been involved in at least 170 attacks on Palestinians since September 27, around the start of the annual olive harvest, according to Yesh Din, an Israeli settlements monitoring group.
Sustained numerous injuries in assault, claims IDF did not intervene
Levine, whose condition was described as moderate, sustained injuries to her limbs, according to medical information provided. Speaking to Walla, she said she had also suffered injuries to her back and a rib, describing a prolonged assault during which her cameras and personal belongings were stolen.
She alleged that IDF soldiers witnessed the attack but did not intervene to protect her.
According to Levine, the two sides had been relatively evenly matched before the soldiers arrived. She alleged that when the soldiers reached the scene, they fired tear gas toward the journalists and Palestinians, causing those present to disperse.
"At that point, they realized I was alone and decided to attack me," she recounted.
According to Levine, approximately 15 rioters ran toward her, assaulted her, and stole her cameras, photography equipment, identification documents, and jewelry.
"They slammed me to the ground and kicked me again and again and again, while stealing everything from me," she said.
Reuters contributed to this report.